Correctional Facilities


Contraband detection methods and broad narcotics identification for prisons, jails, and other correctional facilities.

Portable Mass Spectrometry for Drug Identification

The MX908 can be used to detect and identify bulk powders, as well as trace-level drugs, embedded in paper. Identify top drugs of concern in correctional facilities including cannabinoids, cathinones, and phenethylamines, as well as common street drugs such as synthetic opioids. Screening for incoming drugs keeps correctional officers, employees, and inmates safe while reducing costs associated with potential exposures.

Physical Mail Entering Correctional Facilities Can Be Dangerous

Detecting and identifying drugs entering correctional facilities via physical mail is challenging. Drugs such as K2/spice and cannabinoids can be sprayed onto paper, incorporated into ink, hidden under stamps, and inconspicuously concealed within a piece of mail.

The methods used to hide the drugs coupled with the sheer volume of mail received daily make it difficult to detect drugs through visual screening or x-ray. Undetected drugs that are delivered to inmates pose significant health and safety concerns, including overdose and death. In the US, drug overdoses in state prisons have risen more than 600% over the last 20 years1, and an international review of studies found that 25-50% of people received into custody were assessed as having serious drug problems2.


  1. Mortality in State and Federal Prisons, 2001–2018 – Statistical Tables (ojp.gov)
  2. Oliemeulen L et al. Problematische alcoholgebruikers, druggebruikers, en gokkers in het gevangeniswezen [Problematic alcohol users, drug users and gamblers in prison]. Rotterdam, Ministry of Justice, Research and Documentation Centre, 2007
Physical mail entering into correctional facilities can be concealed with drug substances.
MX908 drug hunter

908 Devices is proud to support the DrugDetect EU project, a multinational initiative aimed at preventing drugs from entering and circulating in correctional institutions. The MX908 was selected for its proven ability to detect and identify trace amounts of narcotics—including cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine—helping facilities safeguard staff and inmates alike. With units already deployed in Belgium and Greece, the MX908 is playing a vital role in advancing drug interdiction efforts across Europe’s prison systems.

Modern Chemical Detection & Identification Tools for Your Mission

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